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What Is Ozone
What Is Ozone
What Is Ozone
Although some stratospheric ozone is transported into the troposphere, and some
VOC and NOx occur naturally, the majority of ground-level ozone is the result of
reactions of man-made VOC and NOx. Significant sources of VOC are chemical
plants, gasoline pumps, oil-based paints, autobody shops, and print shops. Nitrogen
oxides result primarily from high temperature combustion. Significant sources are
power plants, industrial furnaces and boilers, and motor vehicles.
Are high ambient ozone concentrations found
only in heavily urbanized areas?
Many people mistakenly believe that tropospheric ozone concentrations are high
only in major urban areas, but high ambient ozone concentrations can and do occur
anywhere. Ozone formation is not limited to big cities like Los Angeles, Houston,
Atlanta, and New York City. It is also formed in smaller cities like Raleigh, NC and
Cincinnati, OH, and it is transported hundreds of miles downwind from where it is
created to affect ambient air quality in other urban and rural areas. Where ozone is
formed, peak concentrations usually occur during afternoon hours, when sunlight is
the most intense. However, areas downwind of major sources of VOC and NOx may
experience ozone peaks in the afternoon and evening, after wind has carried ozone
and its VOC and NOx precursors many miles from their sources. Thus, high ozone
concentrations can occur in remote areas and at various times of day, including
during the early evening or night.
Figure 1: U.S. counties with high ozone concentrations in 2009. This map depicts ozone
concentrations by U.S. county for 2009, showing where high ambient ozone concentrations were found in
the continental United States. The map's color key is based on the categories of the Air Quality Index
(AQI) (see Patient Exposure and the Air Quality Index). All orange, red, and purple areas exceeded the 8-
hour ambient air quality standard for ozone during 2009. The map illustrates how likely it may be for a
particular area to experience air quality advisories for ozone.